‘Disobeying court decisions is undemocratic, illicit’

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro delivers a speech during a demonstration in his support in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Tuesday. Pic/AFP

The Brazilian Supreme Court's Chief Justice Luiz Fux on Wednesday issued a sharp rebuttal to President Jair Bolsonaro, one day after the right-wing leader escalated his feud with the court by vowing to no longer abide by one of its justice's rulings.

"Encouraging non-compliance with court decisions is undemocratic, illicit and intolerable," Fux said in a nationally televised message. He added that if Bolsonaro were to disobey a court ruling, or someone else were to do so at his urging, it would constitute a crime.

"No one will close this court, we will keep it standing," he added. At demonstrations in support of Bolsonaro on Tuesday, many people displayed signs and banners railing against the Supreme Court, demanding it be dissolved or that one justice in particular, Alexandre de Moraes, be removed.

De Moraes is overseeing an investigation targeting the president and two of his sons. Bolsonaro formally requested the justice's impeachment last month. "Any decision from Mr. Alexandre de Moraes, this president will no longer comply with. The patience of our people has run out," Bolsonaro told a cheering crowd in Sao Paulo.

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